Safe entry and exit from your business is crucial for many reasons. It shows your commitment to safety, and how you feel about your staff and customers, as well as your reputation.
For three out of the four seasons, this is easy to do and maintain. A quick sweep here, a pressure wash there, and debris is easily removed, leaving the building nice and clean. The winter, however, can prove a little more challenging.
Keeping People Safe
Occupational health and safety (OHAS) in the workplace is vital. It is the key to keeping everyone safe and avoiding criminal charges and insurance claims.
Snow brings with it the challenge of slippery walkways and roads. When the snow falls, it happens quickly and can build up even faster. Plowing the snow as soon as it stops reduces these potential risks.
Clearing the snow so that people can see where they are walking and driving is essential, but cleaning your building windows after the end of a blizzard is also essential.
A seasonal snow removal contract in Hamilton will be a big help during this important process. You should also include ice management, which involves using salt and sand to break up the ice and compacted snow.
Ensuring the Structural Integrity of Your Building
Of course, a snowfall can look quite picturesque. It conjures images of big fluffy snow mounds piled up against buildings with children playing and rolling down them. It is a Christmas card-worthy scene with the right lighting.
However, all that frozen water will melt—and when it does, it will need somewhere to go. Water has the innate ability to seep into every space. It will travel through grouting, cracked cement, broken building materials, window sills, and even under doors.
The more water seeps in, the more a building’s structure can suffer. Often, you won’t always discover the damage until all the snow has gone. Even just leaving the piles of snow up against the walls of a structure can prove problematic in the long run.
Clearing away this buildup may ruin the Christmas card aesthetic, but it will prevent rot, cracks, and flooding, thus saving you thousands of dollars in repairs.
Keep Your Business in Operation
No one likes to go out in the cold during the winter time, and when you have to leave for work, that feeling of dread grows even bigger.
Removing the snow from around your property, including clearing the paths, sidewalks, and parking lots, and making sure that people can access the building makes it a little easier to get up and come to work.
Your business simply cannot function without its staff or customers, so removing the snow quickly will reduce the risk of halting your operation altogether after a heavy snowstorm.
Getting Rid of Compacted Snow and Ice
The faster you remove snow and ice from your property, the less time it has to compact under its own weight, especially if the snow is wet and becomes more of a hazard.
Compacted snow can be very difficult and time-consuming to remove. However, with the use of snow melt, salt, and sand, as well as tools such as shovels, it can be done. If the snow is removed as soon as it stops falling, though, then there is less need for this time-consuming and challenging process.
Ensuring Your Reputation
Even in the dead of winter, how people perceive your business matters. By quickly removing the snow, you can ensure the upkeep of the grounds and building, and therefore maintain the good reputation that your customers have come to know you for.
Following Provincial Law
Ontario law states that all snow must be removed within 24 hours of falling. Failure to comply with this law will result in heavy fines. This puts a lot of pressure on business owners and homeowners to make sure that the process is carried out efficiently.
A seasonal snow removal contract in Brantford and Hamilton eliminates the potential liability that both business and homeowners face, as such an agreement offers fast and reliable services to assist in this process.
Caring for External Features
If your landscaping includes particular features in its design, such as geometric patterns, retaining walls, statues, and more, they will benefit from swift snow and ice removal.
Doing so will eliminate the additional weight and pressure on the retaining walls so they can remain structurally sound for longer. Also, patterned paved areas will be less likely to suffer from cracks and lifting from the retained moisture after a snow storm.
Additionally, you will reduce the risk of freezing and cracking in any water features, thus retaining your property’s aesthetics.
Contact the Professionals at JW Landscaping for Seasonal Snow Removal in Hamilton and Brantford
At JW Landscaping, we understand the risks to everyone involved when it comes to clearing away the snow and ice during the harsh winter. Therefore, we are proud to be able to provide seasonal snow removal contracts to Hamilton and Brantford, as well as Stoney Creek and Burlington.
We provide fast snow removal and ice management services to keep all businesses in operation. You can call us at 905-512-6549 and speak to one of our expert team members to see about the tailored services we can offer your property, or visit us online and get a free estimate now. Don’t let the snow pile up and ruin your business during the winter season.
